Yoga Brings Balance in Life: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

12th of Jul 2013

Q. :Guruji, there are so many schools ofYoga, so many teachers who advocate different forms of Yoga, what exactly is Yoga, for layman who knows nothing about Yoga, what is it exactly?Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yoga is a study of life, study of your body, breath, mind, intellect, memory, and ego. Study of your inner faculties!

Q: How does Yoga help one in life?Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yoga increases our qualifications - Yog brings 'yogyata (Talents)'. Whatever we think that starts to happen.People have started recognizing this secret all over the world. Even in china, where they don't believe in God, they have asked us to start spreading the knowledge of yoga.

Krishna says, “Do your duty. I will take care of your sins. You just surrender. If you surrender then it’s my responsibility to take care of your sins. Don't worry. That's what I also say. Just come and participate in meditation, yoga and Satsang, you will not have any worries in life. Just meditate and believe that you have left your sins here.

Human beings have responsibilities and needs. If needs are more and responsibilities are less, that is not a rich life. Meditation and yoga makes our body and mind active, our life rich. We have to have a quality life, a joyful life.

If our life is not joyous, there is no way we can take care of others. That's why we should use Yoga, Ayurveda and Siddha techniques.

Q.:Gurudev, there is violence at individual level also and at national, international level also but how do we tackle this?Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know violence is a result of fermented stress. When stress gets fermented and it is not rooted out in its infancy, it either turns into societal violence or depression or suicidal tendencies. These are two things that happen. Stress comes up and then either one gets suicidal on one hand or they swing towards becoming violent and agitated. So yoga brings that balance to the personality; balance of body, mind and spirit. Yoga brings that equanimity and balance; decency in one’s personality. That’s why we say ‘Yogyatha’ for one who is qualified. The qualification to be called a decent human being comes to you through Yoga because then you can balance your emotions, you have a say over your behavior. It’s not like your behavior goes out of your control.

Q: Can you throw somelighton Bhakti Yoga?Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If you sit in the Ganga aarti in the evening, you will find everybody singing so beautifully and a wave of devotion. Bhakti yoga is seeing the Divine as mine and oneself as belonging to the Divine, and all that exists belongs to the Divine.

Q.:What is the discipline of yogain Patanjali Yoga Sutra?Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is nobody's imposition; it is self-imposed. There is a lot we impose on ourselves — every morning we wake up and brush our teeth, we then brush them again before going to bed. This is your discipline. However, these have been self-imposed from childhood. Haven't they?

When you were a child, your mother had to impose the discipline on you. Then, once it became a habit, you understood it was for your own good. Then you found it was no longer your mother's rule but your own.

In the same way, keeping yourself clean, hygienic, exercising, meditating, being kind, considerate etc. All these rules you have imposed on yourself are all discipline.. Isn't it?

Yoga means uniting with your source. When does that happen? This happens when the mind, which is chattering all the time, suddenly becomes silent.